Feeling at Home, Everywhere.

Solo Adventures

gingerninja — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:35:00 GMT

I’m an introvert.

I love time alone with my thoughts; in fact I need time alone to recharge myself. I know people who dread the idea of an evening or weekend in their own company. I seek it out.

Don’t get me wrong, I can enjoy being around people. I’m just more of a small dose kind of girl. I don’t mind travelling with people, and have many times, but a solo trip can be magical.

It all started in my early 20’s, when everyone is focussing on building careers or families, it can be difficult to sync up vacation times. I really wanted to travel, so out of necessity, I struck out on my own.

My first trip along was New York City. A few things that made it easier were going with a purpose and have visited before with people. I arrived on Saturday, and Sunday evening was a Toronto FC game which I would be meeting up with friends for the game. This was my 3^rd time there in as many years, I knew my way around the city and how transit worked, which meant I was comfortable.

I was so excited to travel on my own. I am a planner; I’d say 50% of the excitement of a trip for me is the planning beforehand. I don’t think I had ever planned as much for a trip as I had before my first solo venture. All of the planning was worth it, even though I did not completely follow my itinerary, the knowledge I had filled me with a sense of confidence.

I could barely sleep the night before that trip and I can still barely sleep the night before a trip.

The growth and sense of accomplishment I get on a trip are immeasurable. There is a forced extroversion that occurs. As much as I’m an introvert, I’m still human and crave human connection and interaction. I was on a road trip in Nova Scotia, and ended up talking with the gas station attendant for about 15 minutes after I paid. Humans just want to connect.

As much as someone wants to share where they are from with you, they want to tell you how much they enjoyed their visit where you are from, and she had a great time visiting her Daughter at the University of Toronto.

I can’t wait for my next solo adventure, the satisfaction of conquering another foreign city on my own.

Photos: Profile Picture

gingerninja — Wed, 27 May 2015 13:04:00 GMT

Smiling in San Francisco

gingerninja — Wed, 27 May 2015 13:03:43 GMT

My favourite feeling ever is that one where you suddenly realizing you have the biggest smile on your face and you had no idea. Sadly, this is rarer than one would hope.
I dream of embarking on an epic adventure, nothing but a spare set of clothes, a good pair of shoes and an embarrassment of writing supplies. Twice I thought my dreams were going to come true when my company announced they were sponsoring a yacht in two successive Clipper Round the World Races and would pick employees participate.
I did everything they asked of me, submitted short answers to questions, wrote essays, campaigned for votes, even travelled to Southampton, UK to participate in a selection boot camp. I was determined to earn a berth on that yacht. Two races in a row I made it to the final selection and was devastated not to be chosen either time.
That smile, the one you have and don’t even realize you have, that went away completely.
The finish point of the sixth leg of the race is San Francisco, California; one of those dots on a map that I stare at longingly. As a consolation my company offered to fly me to the City on the Bay to help with corporate and restart festivities. Of course I jumped at the opportunity and even finagled being flown out a week early for a vacation.
My first order of business in the city was City Light bookstore, a temple for anyone like me whose literary Hero is Jack Kerouac. I stored my bags at the hostel and for some reason didn’t think to change into cooler clothes. By the time I got there I was drenched in sweat, dehydrated and could not have been more uncomfortable, and when I saw my reflection in the window of the bookstore, I didn’t recognize myself.
I had the biggest smile my face.
I planned a tour out to Muir Woods National forest; I wanted to hug thousand year old red woods. The drive is full of twists and sharp turns. I feared for my life, I really think the driver should have been paying more attention to the road. I was looking down the cliff beside me and saw my face in the side view mirror.
I had the biggest smile on my face.
During the corporate Clipper Race activities, I had the opportunity to sail an ocean racing yacht around the San Francisco Bay, a lap of Alcatraz, and I was on helm under the Golden Gate Bridge. The skipper was giving me an instruction, I saw myself in his sunglasses.
I had the biggest smile on my face.